The heavy teakwood door of the Evernight Gate representative office in Red Cloud City creaked softly as it opened, but the sound was no longer the groan of decaying wood from neglect. Instead, its hinges, freshly cleaned of rust and lubricated with high-quality oil, produced a solid, steady scraping sound—a small detail that, to the trained ear, signaled a very serious management change.
Namgung Shiri stepped inside, accompanied by the smell of street dust, which was quickly neutralized by the fresh scent of teakwood and the sharp aroma of fresh ink emanating from the room. This office, once known as a place where demon disciples extorted merchants, had undergone a complete transformation. The once-dreary walls had been repainted a neutral color, and the luxurious furniture had been removed, replaced by functional desks arranged with mathematical precision.
Behind the main administrative desk sat a middle-aged man in immaculate gray robes. His name was Jo-Sun, a former low-ranking clerk who had nearly been fired by Elder Gong's henchmen for being too honest in his logistics records. Now, under Han So-Wol's instruction, she had been appointed as the person in charge of regional coordination.
"Welcome to the Evernight Gate regional coordination office,"
Jo-Sun said, standing with a measured movement. He bowed with a polite tilt, not overly exaggerated but full of dignity.
"How may I help you, Miss? Is it related to logistics permits or the northern route security report?"
Shiri was slightly taken aback. There was no low-key lust in Jo-Sun's eyes, no up-front demands for bribes that were usually characteristic of the Demon faction.
"I am Namgung Shiri of the Blue Sky Trade Alliance,"
she replied, lifting her transparent veil slightly.
"I have come to meet with the person in charge here. I would like to confirm the 'Security Management' policy you have just installed at the city gates."
Jo-Sun smiled faintly, a smile that seemed practiced in the new operational system.
"Of course, Miss Namgung. Please have a seat. Uncles Wei and Han can also wait in the side pavilion area. I will prepare tea and bring our 'Operational Procedures Manual.' Everything under Young Master Moen Kang Yo's leadership must now proceed according to a transparent blueprint."
While waiting for Jo-Sun, Shiri observed her surroundings. On the wall of the room, a large wooden board displayed patrol schedules, material stock charts, and a map of the area marked with risk zones—a scene that looked more like a civil engineering office than a martial arts sect headquarters.
"Miss, look at that column,"
whispered Wei, her loyal bodyguard.
"They record the 'Material Fatigue Points' on the bridges around here. Why would the demon faction care if a bridge has microcracks?"
"Because a collapsed bridge means a halt in logistics, Uncle Wei,"
Shiri replied with a shrewd look.
"A halt in logistics means a loss of profit. They're not being kind, they're being efficient. Their 'Foreman' strategy has completely changed the way Jianghu works."
Jo-Sun returned with a tray of simple green tea and a thick scroll.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss. This is our work plan. Our Young Master emphasizes that a region's integrity is built on its economic stability. We will no longer collect extortionate tributes, but instead pay a 'Path Maintenance Fee' that will be returned to the people in the form of infrastructure improvements."
Shiri accepted the scroll, her eyes widening at the detailed calculations.
"It's so detailed... the slope of the road, the density of the border soil... who designed this?"
"Young Master Moen Kang Yo personally drew the blueprints,"
Jo-Sun replied with genuine pride.
"He said that good management will win the hearts of the people far more permanently than the sword."
Shiri paused for a moment, then lowered her voice.
"Master Jo, there's something else. I saw several senior disciples from the Mount Hua Sect mobilizing at the inn in the city center. They mentioned Elder Gong's disrupted 'investment' and a plan to destroy the Evernight Gate before the renovations are complete."
Jo-Sun's face tensed for a moment, but he didn't panic. He immediately picked up a brush and jotted down Shiri's report on a special report sheet.
"Thank you for the information, Miss Namgung. I will immediately send this to the headquarters via the fastest pigeon. Young Master had anticipated 'sabotage' from outside forces."
Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, atop the Black Dragon Mountains, the deep orange afternoon sun illuminated the newly completed deadly labyrinth in front of the main gate. The air vibrated with the sound of hoisting machines and shouted work instructions.
Yoe Choin, in the form of Moen Kang Yo, stood atop a new watchtower whose foundations had been reinforced with high-grade concrete. His practical robes were dusty, but the aura of Internal Finishing Level 3 emanating from his body made the air around him feel dense. Beside him, Baek-Un, the strategist who now served as "Chief Engineer," held a mechanical vibration meter.
"Foreman, the 'Demolition Unit' team is in position!"
Jin-Pyo shouted from the field below. His massive frame was now encased in shiny Black Iron plate armor, reflecting his role as Choin's trusted "Model Coolie."
"Good! We will begin the 'Extreme Load Test'!" Choin replied in a steady baritone.
"Jin-Pyo, release a five-ton load onto the Shock Floor area of Zone B!"
At that command, the Class 2 students pulled a large mechanical lever. A giant block of stone suspended from a pulley system falls onto a hidden iron plate underground by the force of pure gravity.
BOOM!
A powerful tremor rippled through the ground, but instead of shattering the surface, it was absorbed by the lateral pillar system and reflected back at a very high sonic frequency through the asymmetrically mounted Black Iron bells.
Baek-Un looked at his measuring device, which was vibrating violently.
"Crazy... the return vibrations are so consistent! If a Mount Hua warrior with a light-stepping technique entered here, the Qi in their legs would immediately resonate with the frequency of this floor and explode from within!"
Choin leaped down from the tower with a remarkably efficient movement, demonstrating the increasingly synchronized coordination of the two souls. He walked toward Jin-Pyo and patted the giant's shoulder, which was now as hard as concrete.
"Jin-Pyo, how did you feel standing near the impact point?" Choin asked.
"Young Master, my legs feel tingling, as if thousands of Qi needles were trying to pierce my bones," Jin-Pyo replied honestly.
"That means our frequency zoning system is working perfectly," Choin murmured with satisfaction. He turned to Baek-Un.
"Baek-Un, we need a slight adjustment to the fastening bolt in the west corner. The angle of reflection is off by 0.5 degrees. In a military audit, such a small gap could be a gateway for a Grandmaster."
Baek-Un laughed, shaking his head with deep respect.
"You truly are a perfectionist, Young Master. I'm starting to feel sorry for anyone who tries to attack this gate. They'll feel as if they're fighting the mountain itself, not a human being."
Choin didn't answer immediately. He stared out at the horizon, where the shadow of Mount Hua loomed.
"This isn't about winning or losing, Baek-Un. This is about maintaining the integrity of the structure we've built with the sweat of our students. If this pillar falls, the hopes of people like Jo-Sun or Liem will be shattered with it."
Jin-Pyo, hearing this, clenched his fists with renewed vigor.
"Foreman... I will ensure that not a single stone moves from this gate as long as I have breath!"
Suddenly, a dove landed on Choin's shoulder. He picked up a small note tied to its leg—a message from Jo-Sun in Red Cloud City about Mount Hua's plans.
After reading the message, Choin's blue eyes glinted coldly.
"It seems the inspector from Mount Hua can't wait to conduct a live field audit," Choin hissed.
"Good. I just finished hardening the concrete at the front gate. Time to see if their plum swords are sharp enough to scratch my 'High-Grade Concrete.'"
Night had fallen on Evernight Gate again, but the atmosphere was no longer filled with dread. There was only a calm, orderly bustle, like a giant machine warming up its pistons before undertaking the most magnificent demolition work in the history of Jianghu.